Pilot

Six months after their parents were killed in a car accident involving a drunk driver, the five Salinger orphans are struggling to make ends meet and keep their family together. They try to search for a replacement for Owen's 65-year-old nanny, Mrs. Kelleher, who suddenly quits. Bailey assumes most of the responsibility for the family. Julia turns her back on the family after a classmate named P.K. shows an interest in her. After her heart is broken, she longs for her mother's advice and comfort. Charlie loses $12,000 of their money in a bad real estate investment. Joe Mangus, their father's partner in Salingers Restaurant, loans Charlie enough money to tide them over on the condition that Charlie work at Salingers as a bartender, a job which Charlie accepts reluctantly. Young Claudia pawns her violin and announces that she'd rather be a regular kid than a child prodigy. Her violin instructor, Ross Werkman, reminds her that she has a rare gift and encourages her to stick with it.moreless

Quotes (7)

(Bailey and Julia talking)Julia: Do you ever think about them Bailey?
Bailey: Yea of course I do.
Julia: Well why don't we ever talk about them. I mean why don't we ever talk about it?
Bailey: I don't know maybe we feel like we have to put on this brave face for Claud and Owen. But maybe thats stupid. Maybe we should talk about it. Maybe it would help.
Julia: Sometimes I wonder if these feelings are ever gonna go away.
Bailey: I don't know, I hope someday they will.

(Bailey's putting Owen to bed)Bailey: shh shh, Listen just to keep you up to date and don't take this the wrong way but I'm going crazy here. So unless I come up with some kind of nanny soon I'm gonna have to sell you off to white slave traders. Now I know that's not how you pictured yourself growing up but hey welcome to the club. sleep well.

(Bailey talking to Charlie)Bailey: We'll give up whatever we have to to get by and we'll let everyone think your this great guy just trying to hold his family together. Who's like a father to us even if we know it's a lie.

Charlie: Julia get down here now, family meeting.
(Julia arrives)
Me and Doug and a friend of his were gonna by into this co-op. We were gonna fix it up and sell it. The whole thing was gonna take a month tops. We would have doubled our money no questions asked. Except the guy took the money and split.
Bailey: How much money did you loose Charlie?
Charlie: 12 (long pause) thousand.
Julia: Of your own money right?
Bailey: So much for your lectures on responsibility. Is this why you wanted control of all the accounts so you could blow it all yourself?

(Bailey was searching for a nanny and picks up the phone and the phone was turned off)Charlie: Why didn't you pay the phone bill?
Bailey: Why didn't I pay the phone bill? (Bailey getting louder) Why didn't I pay the phone bill?? Why didn't I pay the phone bill?

Notes (2)

In this episode it's the actual time the show is named. Charlie is working for Joe and the family comes in to have their regular weekly dinner together. Joe says to the waitress "Get me the best table ready for The Salinger 's Party of Five."

Scott Grimes (Will McCorkle) does not appear in this episode.

Trivia (1)

Notice the scene where the four younger Salinger kids are watching TV and eating breakfast in their pajamas, and Charlie comes in to announce that he is taking on the responsibility of being their caretaker. First of all, Lacey Chabert (Claudia) has said that this was her very first scene that she filmed for Party of Five. You'll also notice that Neve Campbell (Julia) is struggling with baby Owen. The actors have acknowledged in previous interviews that the baby was extremely fussy and crying a lot that day, and Campbell had to hold him and try to keep him as calm as possible.